On March 21 West Mead #1 joined Vernon Central for an evening of training on their new quint behind the Department of Motor Vehicles building on Patricia Drive. Vernon Central has begun responding 23-9 as their first-out engine, with second or third-due engine crews assigned as a truck company to operate off the quint’s ladder. The goal of the evening was to acquaint West Mead #1 personnel with the truck’s capabilities and give them some hands-on time at the controls.

Vernon Central officers and firefighters practiced loading and pulling various preconnected handlines, while West Mead #1 firefighters trained on setting up and deploying the ladder. Department 28 firefighters took a turn at the controls lowering a traffic cone suspended from the aerial tip onto another cone. Then the ladder was raised to its full operational height and firefighters took turns climbing to the tip of the ladder.

West Mead #1 thanks Vernon Central for the introduction to their newest apparatus.